102 Ways to Thank the Military
The past few weeks have been difficult for military personnel and their families, between the tragedy at Fort Hood and the high number of casualties overseas. Perhaps that’s why I was so taken by military-spouse Angela Smith’s link to “101 Ways to Thank a Veteran,” written for a military-support blog. Even though Veterans’ Day has passed, there is no expiration date on remembering servicemen and -women.
Firefighters who also are soldiers activated and deployed during war time is stressful enough for fire departments, but coupled with a flailing economy, fire chiefs across the country are struggling with severe staff reductions.
I spoke with Frankfort (Ky.) Fire Chief Wallace Possich after he submitted two of his firefighters’ names for our double-duty holiday greetings list. Frankfort Fire and EMS provides services to the state capital with 88 sworn personnel out of four fire stations. According to Possich, his department is currently down 11 personnel: nine retirees who will not be replaced and the two firefighter/paramedics serving overseas.
“Since 9/11, I’ve had about eight fire personnel who have been activated to serve,” Possich said. “I’ve had people in both Iraq and Afghanistan, and a drill sergeant who was gone two years training recruits close to Fort Knox.”
Frankfort firefighter/paramedics Steve Clark and Scott True also are members of the National Guard. They were sent to Kosovo last August. Clark and True are in the same unit, both serving as medics.
The Frankfort department is required by federal regulations to hold the positions for serving military.
“We would do that anyway, so we just count their absences as military-leave vacancies and back-fill with overtime,” he said. “The military activation combined with the economy that has implemented hiring freezes it hasn’t helped at all.”
Possich is hoping to get authorization from his city officials to apply for a SAFER grant this week. The city has not yet applied for SAFER funds; however, Possich is hopeful officials will reconsider.
In 2001, Frankfort implemented a policy on how they would handle military activation and the benefits program. In addition, the state of Kentucky training system requires firefighters be certified and maintain 100 training hours annually in exchange for $3,100 on top of their salaries.
“If one person doesn’t get his 100 hours, the whole department loses their stipend,” Possich said. “Part of the rules on the stipend system is you have to be affiliated with the fire department. The state law is waived while serving in the military.” The fire department agreed to keep personnel serving in the military on their books as paid employees by paying $10 a week.
The city maintains the health-care payments for serving personnel and also covers the families; the city pays the insurance and the employee can pay it back upon his or her return. Pension and seniority are not affected. Possich said he has received three “Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve” awards for his support.
“We try to maintain our communication with our serving personnel and maintain contact with their families too,” Possich said. “One firefighter who was deployed for two years was concerned about his young family, so the department went over and painted his house and did the landscaping.”
So here is one more way to thank a veteran or soldier. Send me the name and mailing or e-mail address of a firefighter or EMS person serving in the military. Starting next week, the names will be available on the FIRE CHIEF Web site.
And a belated happy 234th birthday to the Marines.
November 21st, 2009 at 1:20 pm
Chief Possich and Frankfort Fire/EMS have been very supportive of those of us who have been deployed. During those stressful times of deployment it is reassuring to know that my employer supports me and my miltary duties one hundred percent. I could not ask for a better department in which to work. There is a reason Chief Possich has received three awards from the National Guard.
Steve Clark
TF Falcon C Co 169th AVN Medevac
Kosovo
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